When your kid embarrasses the family name

3d ago·1 min read

My 16yo got caught lying about where he was last weekend. Not a huge lie but he lied to my face and to his mom, then doubled down when confronted. Had to sit him down and explain that his word is his bond and once you lose peoples trust its hard to earn back. Took away his truck keys for two weeks. Sometimes being a dad means being the bad guy and enforcing consequences even when it hurts. Hes mad now but hell understand eventually.

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Comments(3)

JJasonRegular2d ago

16 year olds test boundaries, it's what they do. Just don't let one lie become a pattern. Set clear expectations about honesty and follow through consistently. That's the family name stuff right there.

MMichaelRegular2d ago

This is the hard part of parenting a teenager. The lies get sneakier and the stakes feel higher. With two kids in two different houses I see this dynamic play out a lot. Natural consequences work better than punishment at this age.

MMikeRegular2d ago

Oof, the lying hits different than the usual kid stuff. At 16 he should know better. I'd focus on the trust issue more than the location thing. Maybe a real conversation about why he felt like he needed to lie in the first place.